Chris Finch has heard plenty of blame during his run with the Timberwolves, but the case against him is getting harder to build.
No matter how loud the criticism gets, Finch sits at the top of Minnesota’s coaching record book in win percentage, playoff wins and playoff berths. For a franchise with a thin history of sustained success, that still counts for something. He has gotten the Wolves to wins, and he has kept them in the postseason conversation more often than any coach before him.
Still, the same old playoff question keeps hanging over him. For three straight years, Finch’s teams have run into the same ceiling once the games have mattered most.
That used to be easier to explain away. The roster had flaws, the fit was messy, and the front office kept making moves that suggested the problem was bigger than the coach.
That’s why the recent shake-up matters so much. Minnesota has moved on from key pieces such as Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle, and those changes send a clear message: the organization believes the roster construction was the main issue behind the playoff failures, not Finch’s coaching.
And to be fair, the last two seasons did not look like championship-level groups. Expecting Finch to drag that kind of roster to the Finals was never realistic.
This version feels different. The Wolves now have a true point guard to organize the offense, and the roles across the roster look cleaner than they have in recent seasons. That matters, because one of the biggest problems in the past few years was how often Minnesota seemed to be figuring out who was supposed to do what.
So the pressure shifts. If this group still falls short early in the playoffs, Finch will have a much tougher time finding cover.
He has what looks like a championship-level setup around him: a potential top-five talent, an All-Star-caliber point guard, a DPOY-caliber center and several elite role players. There is also a strong mix of youth and experience.
At that point, unless one of the top players badly underperforms or injuries wreck the season, the conversation changes fast. If the Timberwolves still underwhelm, Finch could be the next major move.
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The financial part of that equation is where things get tricky. The Timberwolves are staring at luxury-tax pressure while contract decisions begin to pile up around the leagues most important piece, Edwards, and the veteran anchor in Gobert. Minnesota has to navigate those negotiations without losing flexibility, because the next round of extensions and options could shape not just the roster, but the franchises spending structure for years to come. [Read more 🡒]
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Kuminga also pointed to the value of learning from teammates such as Jaden McDaniels, which fits neatly with a roster that has plenty to teach on that end of the floor. He comes from Golden State with championship experience, but this stop feels different in one key way: the defensive growth he said hes chasing now sounds a lot more central to who he wants to be next. [Read more 🡒]
Tim Connelly Just Sent A Clear Timberwolves Message With Kuminga
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What stands out here is how much work went into simply getting Kuminga to listen, a sign that Minnesota is thinking beyond the usual playbook. Connellys history says he is comfortable betting on conviction when a roster needs another jolt, and this latest move reinforces that the Timberwolves are still operating with an eye on bigger possibilities rather than incremental change. [Read more 🡒]